Louisa Colliery

Location:

Stanley
8 miles [13 km] SSW of Newcastle

Map Ref:

(Sheet 88) NZ192525, 54° 52' 3" N, 1° 42' 0" W

Maps:

1951 map from the Guide to the Coalfields (Colliery Guardian)

Opened:

1759

Closed:

1964

Owners:

1880's - Hedley & Bell

1890's - South Moor Coal Co. Ltd.

1940's - Holmside & Southmoor Collieries Ltd.

1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)

Output:

1888 - Coal.

1896 - Coal: Gas, Household.

1902 - Coal: Gas, Household.

1914 - Louisa (New) - Coal: Gas, Household, Manufacturing.

1914 - Louisa (Old) - Coal: Gas, Household, Manufacturing.

1921 - Louisa (New) - Coal: Gas, Household, Steam.

1921 - Louisa (Old) - Coal: Gas, Household, Steam.

1930 - Louisa (New) - Coal: Steam.

1930 - Louisa (Old) - Coal: Gas.

1947 - Coal: Gas. (323,000 tons)

1950 - Coal: Gas.

1955 - Coal: Gas.

1960 - Coal: Gas.

1961 - Coal: Gas.

1964 - Coal: Gas.

Employment:

Year	Pit	Total	Below	Above
1896		669	545	124
1902		917	774	143
1914	Louisa (New)	723	602	121
1914	Louisa (Old)	1,246	1,056	190
	Total	1,969	1,658	311
1921	Louisa (New)	956	745	211
1921	Louisa (Old)	1,471	1,199	272
	Total	2,427	1,944	483
1930	Louisa (New)	572	415	157
1930	Louisa (Old)	1,174	897	277
	Total	1,746	1,312	434
1940	Louisa (New)	444	332	112
1940	Louisa (Old)	440	323	117
	Total	884	655	229
1945		1,722	1,441	281
1947		1,919	1,473	446
1950		1,443	1,148	295
1955		765	642	123
1960		637	540	97
1961		570	500	70
1964		345	300	45

NCB Employment Figures

Colliery Management (prior to 1958)

Seams Worked:

1914 - Louisa (Old) - Hutton, Low Main, Maudlin, Shield Row

1921 - Louisa (New) - Hutton, Low Main, Shield Row

1921 - Louisa (Old) - Hutton, Low Main, Shield Row

1930 - Louisa (New) - Shield Row

1930 - Louisa (Old) - Hutton, Low Main, Maudlin

1950 - Hutton, Low Main, Maudlin

1955 - Hutton, Low Main, Maudlin

1960 - Hutton, Low Main, Maudlin

1961 - Hutton, Low Main, Maudlin

1964 - Hutton, Low Main, Maudlin

Notes:

Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents for Louisa Colliery

Description

Louisa (including Morrison Old) Colliery was formerly in the South Moor group of collieries belonging to the Holmside and South Moor Collieries Limited and is now in the "C" Group of No. 6 Area of the Northern Division of the National Coal Board. It is situated at South Moor, near Stanley, in North West Durham, and works the middle series of Durham seams, the Maudlin, Low Main and Hutton, in an area bounded on the West by the outcrop of these seams in the Lanchester district.

The upper seams in the same royalty, namely the Shield Row, Five Quarter and Main Coal, are worked from Hedley Colliery and both mines have a common centrally situated upcast shaft, Charley Fan Shaft, where an electrically driven Sirocco fan producing 175,000 cubic feet of air per minute at 2¼ inches water gauge is situated.

The lower seams in the same area, namely the Towneley, Busty and Brockwell, are worked from Morrison Busty Colliery, which is a separate mine in the same group with its own upcast shaft and fan.

Louisa Colliery is served by three downcast shafts : Louisa, William and Morrison North, and employs in all 1,480 persons underground and 350 on the surface for an average daily output of 1,450 tons. All the output is wound at Louisa shaft apart from a certain amount of overflow coal at Morrison North shaft.

Mines Inspectors Report into an accident in 1947

Disasters (5 or more killed)

22nd Aug 1947 Explosion, firedamp propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, 22 lives lost (Show Names)

Names of those killed at this colliery

Please note that this collection of names is by no means complete!

						Appleby, Thomas W., 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 45, Stoneman, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Bailey, Alfred, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 49, Stoneman, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Barron, John, 02 Mar 1894, 4:15 p.m., 10th hour of shift, aged 35, Rolleywayman, Fall of a large stone from side of shaft on to the cage in which they were ascending. [More information ...]
						Bell, Thomas, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 41, Datal, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Bell, Thomas, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 49, Conveyor Mover, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Birtle, Robert W., 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 27, Stoneman, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Blair, William, 20 Aug 1914, (accident: 15 Jan 1913), aged 16, Driver, died from exhaustion, disease of the kidney and osteo myelitis; it was alleged that this condition was brought about through an accident when he got his leg crushed
						Brown, Reginald L., 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 32, Stoneman, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Chapman, Joseph, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 37, Conveyor Mover, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Clarke, Gordon, 04 Jun 1957, aged 57, his glove got snagged on a pit trolley and dragged him under the wheels
						Dodd, William Fenwick, 09 Jan 1892, 7:30 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 23, Hewer, fall of stone while working in a wide bord, Buried: St. Andrew's Churchyard, Stanley
						Down, A. J., 18 Aug 1946, (accident: 06 May 1946), aged 47, Datal, pneumoconiosis
						Estell, John, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 38, Deputy, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Fenwick, Norman, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 32, Conveyor Mover, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Grimley, John, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 41, Stoneman, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches), Buried: Harelaw Cemetery (new) [More information ...]
						Hankey, George, 24 Oct 1913, aged 23, Screener, deceased had hidden a broken saw, which he had found on the premises, behind a revolving shaft; towards the end of the shift he went through a fence to obtain this saw and his clothing was caught by the shaft and he was dragged tight until his spine was fractured, Buried: St. George's Churchyard, South Moor
						Hiles, George, 16 Nov 1911, aged 29, Hewer, he had been instructed by the deputy to take some top coal down which the deputy considered to be unsafe; he was found about 15 minutes later to have been struck by this coal, and he succumbed to his injuries almost immediately; it was very evident that he did not take ordinary precautions knowing that this coal was dangerous
						Hodgson, Joseph S., 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 28, Stoneman, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Humes, Charles William, 27 Feb 1901, aged 33, Hewer, When hewing in a longwall face he took the coal out under a slip and a large stone fell, without warning, on to and killed him. When sounded previously it appeared to be quite safe., Buried: Harelaw Cemetery (old)
						Jaques, John William, 04 Sep 1912, (accident: 02 May 1912), aged 42, Deputy, it was said that he put his axe and saw on a set of full tubs which a pony was drawing down a landing and that, as the set commenced to move more rapidly, he made a dash to get his tools, and striking his head against the roof, he was knocked down against the tubs; his back was seriously injured, and further complications having set in he died on 4th September
						Jones, David, 14 Jun 1924, aged 48, Deputy, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Municipal Cemetery, Stanley
						Martin, Francis E., 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 21, Datal, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						McKever, Thomas, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 46, Datal, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						McNeil, Robert, 31 Jul 1911, (accident: 26 May 1911), aged 53, Hewer, he was hewing in a seam 8 feet thick when a piece of stone fell from a clay parting close to the face on to his foot and knocked him down; before he could get clear more stone fell, and his leg was so badly injured that he died on 31st July at the Royal Infirmary, Newcastle-on-Tyne
						Minto, Clement, 06 Dec 1947, (accident: 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m.), aged 42, Stoneman, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches), died from injuries received [More information ...]
						Mitchell, John William, 17 Sep 1904, aged 14, Driver, when driving a set of four full tubs he either fell off the top of the first one or slipped in getting on and was run over and killed, Buried: St. George's Churchyard, South Moor
						Moore, Gerald, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 21, Datal, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Neal, William, 02 Mar 1894, 4:15 p.m., 10th hour of shift, aged 17, Driver, Fall of a large stone from side of shaft on to the cage in which they were ascending., Buried: St. Andrew's Churchyard, Stanley [More information ...]
						Nicholson, Ralph, 21 Nov 1921, (accident: 14 Nov 1921), aged 20, Rope Lad, died from acute intestinal obstruction, it was alleged he ruptured himself whilst lifting two full tubs on the way
						Patterson, Joseph, 28 Jul 1906, aged 44, Labourer, Found dead in a field where he had gone from his work.
						Reay, Wilfred, 23 Mar 1923, aged 57, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone in the Hutton seam
						Reed, William, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 37, Datal, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Roe, Walter, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 18, Datal, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Rowland, John Robert, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 55, Stoneman, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches), Buried: St. George's Churchyard, South Moor [More information ...]
						Rutherford, William, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 32, Stoneman, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches), Buried: Harelaw Cemetery (new) [More information ...]
						Simpson, Colin, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 39, Stoneman, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Talbot, Harold, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 34, Stoneman, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches) [More information ...]
						Waggot, Samuel, 05 Jul 1869, aged 39, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Wearmouth, John, 23 Sep 1911, (accident: 13 Feb 1911), aged 32, Hewer, he was hewing in a bord 5 yards wide, which was well timbered, when a piece of stone the full width of the place, 3 feet wide and 6 inches thick, tell on to him; the stone was false bedded, and came over the coal from a breaker and canted out four props; his spine was fractured, and he died on 23rd September, 1911
						Westgarth, Edmund, 22 Aug 1947, 11:55 p.m., aged 39, Stoneman, killed in the 1947 explosion (ignition caused by matches), Buried: Harelaw Cemetery (new) [More information ...]

						40 names found

If you know of any fatalities missing from the above list then please contact us with the details and we will add them to our database.

For those names marked the text of the Mines Inspectors report into the incident is available online. Click on the icon to display the report.

Those names marked with , have a web page providing individual details of the accident, the page may also include a photograph of the deceased. Click on the symbol next to the name to see the web page.

For those names marked we have a digital photograph of the tombstone, see the information page for further details.

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this web site have been kindly provided by Jim Grainger from his research into early newspapers (primarily the Durham Advertiser and Durham Chronicle) and are marked with .

more information on some of the fatalities shown above

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Louisa Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Louisa Colliery

Credits

Sources:

1869 Mines Inspectors Report
1881 Mines Inspectors Annual Report
1884 List of Mines
1888 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1890 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1892 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6986), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1894 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7667), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1896 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, also available online at Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd
1901 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1062), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1902 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1904 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2506)
1906 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 3449), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1909 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
1911 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6237), Durham District (No. 3) by A. D. Nicholson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1912 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6983), Durham District (No. 3) by A. D. Nicholson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1913 Mines Inspectors Report
1914 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1919 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
1921 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1930 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1940 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory published by Louis Cassier Co. Ltd.
1945 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1947 The Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1950 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1955 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1960 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1961 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1964 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
NEEMARC - Ref: NUMDA/1/6/39, D.M.A. Minutes, Circulars etc. for 1914 (two volumes: covers Jan-Jun, Jul-Dec)
Mines Inspectors Report into an accident in 1947 (Cmd. 7347)
An Account of the strata of Northumberland & Durham as proved by Borings & Sinkings, Supplement, published by the North of England Institute of Mining & Mechanical Engineers, 1910
Contributions by members of the Public

Pictures:

Colliery picture from old postcard

Further Research:

Research Notes for Louisa Colliery



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